See:

• https://getpocket.com/

about:config page:

• browser.pocket.enabled = false

Bug 1161881 - Enable Pocket by default (in supported locales)

cor-el said

See:

• https://getpocket.com/

about:config page:

• browser.pocket.enabled = false

---

Bug 1161881 - Enable Pocket by default (in supported locales)

Why is this being added though? Why did this replace the original firefox reading list?

I don't know why the made the change to Pocket and didn't continue the development of the Reading list feature.

• bug 1155515 - Disable Reading List and RL Sync on all channels
• bug 1155191 - Please disable readling list and reader view for 38

This has just been pushed on me (38.0.5). I had never before heard of “Pocket”. I have read their Terms of Service, and they would be ruled illegal where I live. Amongst other things they require adherence to all american legislation, and they attempt the failed Facebook-approach to choice of venue (see french ruling).

Mozilla pushed this installation as an “update”, and disabling this third party spyware is not an acceptable solution. If it cannot be uninstalled, how can I

1. roll back Firefox and
2. be sure no information have been forwarded to a third party?

Hi Rasmus, Not really the right place to comment, but I will comment myself nevertheless.

Pocket Must say I saw information about this a while ago. Surprised me rather on a couple of grounds:

1. I am not too sure but I could imagine privacy issues being a concern.
2. and it seems the software would be proprietary and not open source, so again rather surprising.

I will be interested to learn more myself !!

I am sure someone who has followed this more closely will point to blogs and press announcements etc explaining and allaying any fears.

Reading List I got the impression Reading List was being disabled temporarily so as not to interfere with Pocket. This article seems to suggest RL is still with us.

• Firefox Reader View for clutter-free web pages

I have not yet actually updated to Fx38.0.5 myself, I tend to use a Linux distro but I will try a Mozzilla update shortly. I know there is discussion elsewhere

Policy Decisions I am sure over the next day or so we will get staff comments and explanations. One certainty is that we will be told development decisions and policies are not discussed here. So if you wish to contact those making decisions I suggest you try

• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/forums/
  • https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/forums/#governance

Please do not downgrade Firefox it has an important improvement for Windows users. I am sure it will be possible to disable or remove this and that it will not collect any information from those not using it, otherwise it would be in conflict with Mozilla's policies and privacy agreements.

Articles Meanwhile information that is available easily see

• Disable or re-enable Pocket for Firefox
• Privacy Policy
  • https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/privacy/firefox/
  • https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/privacy/firefox-cloud/
• Sign up for Pocket with your Firefox Account
• https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2015/06/02/firefox-puts-you-in-control-of-your-online-life/ (Passing mention of Pocket 2nd June)

If no one else updates the thread please post back in a couple of days and I should have found out by then what the official position is.

P.S. If you do post elsewhere on any official Mozilla site feel free to cross-link this thread, and post back to say where you have posted..

John,

This is not a debate about “governance” and/or open source. This was the official attempt to solve the problem amicably.

John99 said

Please do not downgrade Firefox it has an important improvement for Windows users.

This is inapplicable for non-Windows users.

John99 said

I am sure it will be possible to disable or remove this and that it will not collect any information from those not using it, otherwise it would be in conflict with Mozilla's policies and privacy agreements.

Disable ≠ removal. And it is too late for not violating policies. I have never given Mozilla Corp consent to install third party content on my computer, especially not third party spyware with illegal terms of Service.

I shall simplify: If a person punches you in the face, you can disable the pain with ice. But the aggressor will still be brought to justice.

More than 95 % of the world doesn't live in the USA. Yet the Mozilla Corporation forces spyware on us, that is a) illegal, and according to the proprietor itself b) useless.

Hi Rasmus, as far as I know, Firefox wouldn't send data to or make requests from Pocket unless you sign into a Pocket account. If I'm wrong, I'm sure there will be plenty of screaming from people who keep an eye out for such things.

Installing Firefox 38.0.5 doesn't sign you up for Pocket or bind you to any Pocket terms. This is not so different than the Firefox connectors for numerous other third party services (https://activations.cdn.mozilla.net/), except that the Pocket connector is bundled into Firefox itself rather than having to be added on.

If you or anyone else wants to read the code related to Pocket that is included in Firefox, you can find the core files here: http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-release/source/browser/components/pocket/ (the preferences you find in about:config are in other files)

From what I can see, Pocket integration is only turned on by default for users whose Firefox was built for one of these "locales":

• en-US
• de
• es-ES
• ja, ja-JP-mac
• ru

Rasmus said

John, This is not a debate about “governance” and/or open source. This was the official attempt to solve the problem amicably.

Yes I see that but this is only the user support forum, mainly answered by fellow users of Firefox.

There is no point in trying to post here to get changes to Firefox because developers and those making decisions do not see it.

Maybe jscher2000's answer and clarification helps and answers your question ? If not post back in a day or so.

Hi Jeff, Thanks for the clarification. I cross posted that to the contribs forum Release thread. Cheers, John

jscher2000 said

Hi Rasmus, as far as I know, Firefox wouldn't send data to or make requests from Pocket unless you sign into a Pocket account. If I'm wrong, I'm sure there will be plenty of screaming from people who keep an eye out for such things.

That does happen. In your network log you will find these requests.

jscher2000 said

From what I can see, Pocket integration is only turned on by default for users whose Firefox was built for one of these "locales":

• en-US
• de
• es-ES
• ja, ja-JP-mac
• ru

Yes. And their product violates the legislation in a minimum of two of those “locales”.

John99 said

Yes I see that but this is only the user support forum, mainly answered by fellow users of Firefox. There is no point in trying to post here to get changes to Firefox because developers and those making decisions do not see it.

John99, it is not possible to contact the Mozilla Corporation electronically. The official, Mozilla Corporation support is this forum.

I am not trying to “get changes to Firefox”. The Mozilla Corporation has violated existing regulation concerning my privacy and the installation of software on users' computers. I don't know where you are, but in continental law it is necessary to give the offender a chance to solve the problem before filing a lawsuit.

John99, it is not possible to contact the Mozilla Corporation electronically. The official, Mozilla Corporation support is this forum.

I am not trying to “get changes to Firefox”. The Mozilla Corporation has violated existing regulation concerning my privacy and the installation of software on users' computers. I don't know where you are, but in continental law it is necessary to give the offender a chance to solve the problem before filing a lawsuit.

No this is a support site run mainly by the community. The mailing lists (and associated groups forums) https://www.mozilla.org/about/forums/ that I already mentioned are the places to have discussions. This forum is not the place to look for a solution to your grievance.

What you are doing is the equivalent of asking a street cleaner to help out after a motorway pileup. You would need the emergency services, although the street cleaner may be able to render first aid or advise on the location of the Hospital.

Of course it is possible to contact Mozilla electronically. That would be what you do if you use the mailing lists. Also include this

• forums
  • legal

Your local office, which may be your best place to contact

• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/contact/spaces/paris/

  16 Bis Boulevard Montmartre
  Paris 75009
  France
  @MozillaParis

I will add an escalate flag to this thread, but it may be next week before any Admin Staff member responds.

John99 said

No this is a support site run mainly by the community. What you are doing is the equivalent of asking a street cleaner to help out after a motorway pileup.

Oh, John. I don't think there's need to be so rude. I refer you to the information I have already provided: It is not possible to contact the Mozilla Corporation electronically, and they do refer to this as the only place to get support.

This Mozilla Space is not a support center. Need help with Firefox? Get it on our support site.

See also https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/legal/ and https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/privacy/.

Get in touch: Mozilla Corporation Attn: Mozilla – Legal Notices 331 E. Evelyn Ave., Mountain View, CA 94041 USA

Writing a letter on a computer and then printing and posting it is not communicating electronically.

John99 said

Your local office, which may be your best place to contact

• https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/contact/spaces/paris/

As I quoted above, these are neither places for support nor legal matters related to the actions of the Mozilla Corporation, incorporated in California, USA. And I don't know why Paris would be my “local office”? Why not Berlin?

But there's no need to keep asserting your dominance. I bow to your eminence. I posted here because the Mozilla Corporation directed me to [see above quote and link].

Anybody outside of the USA interested in following / joining the case, you can contact me at mozilla-case at uhy.re.

I will leave this to an Admin Staff member. I am not intending to be rude.

My advice stands, and will I am sure be confirmed this is NOT the place for this discussion and solution to your grievance. The contact details I have given already would be better choices.

I'm marking this off-topic for the Firefox support forum since this is a discussion about a Mozilla development decision. See Mozilla Support rules and guidelines (under Subjects covered in the support forum) which links to Off-topic questions.

I'm leaving this thread open for now, since a Mozilla employee may wish to continue discussion here or post more information.

See also these related community discussion forum threads: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/forums/contributors/711316?#post-65375 Firefox 38.0.5 Release Notes / Issues / Discussion

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/forums/contributors/711323?last=65379 [Attn Admin] Please urgently deal with Pocket complaint, and webpage promoting legal action against Mozilla.

Rasmus, appending your request to an existing post in a forum for technical support (that is in this case powered primarily community-powered = by other firefox users like you) is no suitable way of contacting mozilla corporation about a legal matter.

if you want to do so, please use the published ways of communication only:

Mozilla Corporation
Attn: Mozilla – Legal Notices
331 E. Evelyn Ave.,
Mountain View, CA 94041
USA

& electronically:

Telephone: 650-903-0800 (US)
Fax: 650-903-0875 (US)
E-Mail: Legal-notices at mozilla.com

Disregard my previous post that this thread is off-topic. Some of it is but I missed the fact that you also asked how to disable this feature:

user293 said

* is there an option to disable this?

That's covered in this article, which was already linked above:

• Disable or re-enable Pocket for Firefox

philipp said

& electronically: Telephone: 650-903-0800 (US) Fax: 650-903-0875 (US)

Ah yes. The electronics of telephone and fax.

AliceWyman said

Disregard my previous post that this thread is off-topic. Some of it is but I missed the fact that you also asked how to disable this feature: user293 said

* is there an option to disable this?

That's covered in this article, which was already linked above:

• Disable or re-enable Pocket for Firefox

This does not work. The Pocket is still in the Bookmarks menu, and has still been installed on the computer.

Rasmus said

Ah yes. The electronics of telephone and fax.

...conveniently ignoring the mail address provided!

To Rasmus:

This thread belongs to user293 - see Mozilla Support rules and guidelines under Posting support requests. You need to ask a new question if you are having problems disabling Pocket using the instructions in this thread, which includes:

• setting browser.pocket.enabled to "false" in about:config
• instructions in the Disable or re-enable Pocket for Firefox article.